Grading machine



Nov. 21, 1939. J. w.. JOHNSTON GRADING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet l r n E q Johnsron v nza'atgs.

- Nov. 21, 1939. J. w. JOHNSTON GRADING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheef 2 Filed July 25, 1938 James W. John sron I F a/ r Nov. 21, 1939. J. w. JOHNSTON GRADING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 25, 1938 Na". 21, 1939. J w JOHNSTON 2.180591 GRADING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l FlN/El'lDYb James W Jo'hnsr n I MMM his Patented Nov. 21, 1939 I Y "uNirEo jsrATs GRADING MAcnmE James W. 'Johnst om' Manchester, N. 11., assignor to North American Holding Co por tion, Syracuse, N. Y.', a corporation of New York Application July 25, 1938, Serial No. 221,159

, H v 14 Claims.

This invention relates to grading machines of the kind which grade .died-outpieces of leather such .as cut soles, taps, heel lifts, counters and other blanks in accordance with the thinnest spot as-determined by the measuring or detecting mechanism. 1

The invention consists in certain improvements in the setting mechanism through which the measuring movements of the detecting mechanism are transmitted to the grading mechanism whereby theadjustment of the grading mechanism in response to the detecting mechanism is rendered more accurate and certain causes of inaccuracy in prior machines are corrected.

5 The invention is applicable to grading machines .generally, and the expression grading mechanism as herein- .used, unless expressly limited to. some particular kind of grading mechanism, is used in the generic sense established in this art and includes marking devices, evening device's, visual indicators-and sorting devices.

For. the purpose-of illustration, and not by way of limitation, the present invention will be described :as applied to a grading machine of the type shown in the Nichols Patent No. 1,130,321

dated March 2,- 1915, assigned to LaceneManuiacturing Company. Reference is made to said Nichols patent for a more'fulland detailed description'of the construction: and mode of operation of such grading machines. Since the general characteristics of 'su'ch'machines' are well known it willbe necessaryto describe herein only such parts as will aid 'in'the' understanding of the present invention. i

It is a characteristicof the type of grading ma chines illustrated by sa'id Nichols patent, and indeed of substantially-all of the well-known Nichols and Lacene grading machines, that the setting mechanism, through which the measuring 40' movements of the detecting or measuring member are transmitted to the-grading mechanism, includes a transmission'lever (exemplified by the lever ll of said-Nichols patent) controlled by the measuring member and-in turn imparting to the grading. mechanism. an adjusting movement taken off the free or operatingend of the transmission lever. --The .motion of; the; measuring member is usually, transmitted to the lever through a link and heretofore :the lengthofthe lever arm, which is determinedw-by the point of connection of the link to the lever; has been fixed.

Since the measuring movementof the measuring member is usually in a straight line in a vertical direction, and since the motion imparted by the measuring member to the transmission lever is in the arc of a circle about theiulcrum of. the

.lever, the length of the are described by the free or operatingend oi the transmission lever will not be uniform for a rectilinear vertical displacement of the measuring member of a given extent 5 in .all angular positions of the lever. In other words, the ratio between the rectilinearmeasuring movement of the measuring member andthe arcuate movement of the operating end" of'the transmission lever will not be maintained. con- 10 stant and prcportional in all angular positions of the lever but willv'ary as the angular position of mechanism since the extent of the adjustment of 20 I the grading mechanism depends on the extent of movement (length oiarc) of the operating endof thelever. H I A To illustrate, if a displacement of the measuring member one iron causes an adjustment of 25 the grading mechanism (for example, a marking wheel or the pointer on the scale 01 a'visual indi cator) correctly to record one iron when the transmission lever is in one angular position, and if another displacement of the measuring mem- 30 her one iron causes an adjustment of the grading mechanism 1 irons or some measurement other than one iron when the transmission lever is in another angular position, it will be obvious that the machine will not at all times be truly and 35 accurately recording or grading the'blanks 8.0- cording to the grade measurements as determined by the measuring member. The measurements involved are small (one iron, the standard unit of measurement used in the shoe industry, 40 equals of an inch) and under certain circumstances and for many purposes the inaccuracy referred to is practically negligible. Consequently the Nichols and Iacene machines have in the main-given satisfaction. For more exacting re- 45 quirements, however, greater accuracy is desirable throughout the entire measuring range and to achieve this is the principal object ofthe invention. v 4 v This object is accomplished by mechanism 50 whereby the ratio between the movement of the measuring member and the movement of the transmission lever is maintained substantially proportional in all angular positions of the lever;

and more particularly by mechanism which auto- 55.

matically shifts the point of application of the measuring movement to the lever toward and from the fulcrum of the lever, as the angle of the lever changes, thereby varying the length of the lever arm or power arm to compensate for angular movements of the lever and to maintain the length of the arc described by the lever substantially proportional to the length of the movement ofthe measuring member in all positions of the parts throughout the measuring range.

Further objects of iihe invention will be apparent from the following description. It will be understood that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, one of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and that the structure herein described may be varied without departing from the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred form of the invention and such parts of a Nichols grading machine as are necessary to an understanding of the application of the invention to a grading machine,

Fig. 1 is a central, vertical, longitudinal section of a grading machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail of the eccentric or cam member hereinafter described;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on line 6-6 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 7 is a plan view of one of the slides hereinafter described.

In the drawings l and 2 are: the usual detecting or measuring rolls at the ingoing end of the machine. The upper roll I is continuously driven from the main driving shaft 3 (Fig. 1) through the usual train of mechanism (not shown). The upper measuring roll I drives the lower measuring roll 2 by means of intermeshing gears 4 and 5 (Fig. 4) fixed on the shaft of said rolls.

The lower measuring roll 2 is journaled as usual in boxes 6, 6, (Fig. 4) which slide in straight vertical guideways on the frame of the machine. A- crossbar 1 is rigidly fastened at its ends to the two journal boxes 6, 6, and is yieldingly pressed upwardly by the usual spring actuated bell crank levers of the kind shown in Fig. 4 of said Nichols patent, but merely indicated herein at 1" (Fig. 1), thereby yieldingly urging the lower measuring roll 2 upwardly toward the upper roll i, said upper roll being journaled in journal boxes which are fixedly but adjustably mounted on the frame of the machine.

The up and down motions imparted to the measuring roll 2, as an uneven blank passes between the two measuring rolls, is transmitted through the yoke, composed of the boxes 6, 6, and

the crossbar I, to the usual type of setting mechanism by which the grading mechanism is adjusted in accordance with the thinnest spot of each blank as determined by the measuring roll 2.

The setting mechanism includes a transmission lever 8 which is journaled on shaft 9 as a fulcrum. Shaft Bis fixed in the frame of the machine and is non-rotatable.

The free or operative end of lever 6 is provided with a toothed segment l which meshes with a gear segment ll fast on the usual ratchet shaft l2. Rotative adjustment of ratchet shaft I2 by lever 8 acts through a second gear segment I3 fixed to shaft l2, rack bar l4 and vertical shaft l geared to rack bar It to adjust a slide bar l6 transversely of the machine as usual in Nichols grading machines. The rotative motion of shaft I2 is controlled by the usual ratchet mechanism, as described in said Nichols patent but not shown herein, so as to transmit to the slide bar I6 only successive thinner measurements of the blank as found by the measuring roll 2,

thicker measurements of the blank causing a.

downward movement of the measuring roll 2 leaving the rack bar l6 unaffected. Thus the grading mechanisms, which are controlled by the slide bar l6, are adjusted in accordance with the thinnest measurement as determined by the measuring member 2.

The grading mechanisms herein shown by way of illustration include a stamping or marking wheel I! which is rotatively adjusted by slide bar I6 in the usual way, and a skiving or evening mechanism comprising feeding and skiving rolls 25, 26 and an associated skiving knife 21.

Those parts of the setting mechanism connecting the shaft i2 with the slide bar It, and the ratchet mechanism controlling the adjustment of the bar I 6, and other details of the grading mechanisms and of the machine generally, may be of usual construction, for a fuller description of which reference is made to said Nichols patent.

The pieces or blanks to be graded may be fed into the machine by hand, but are preferably automatically fed into the machine by known feeding mechanism one at a time from a stack of blanks l I disposed in a hopper'or magazine I 6. As each blank is moved forward it first passes beneath a gate is, which is temporarily raised to admit the blank, and then between the measuring rolls I and 2- which, being continuously driven, continue to feed the blank forward, while the lower measuring roll 2 at the same time moves up and down in response to variations in thickness of the blank. When the advance end of the blank emerges from between rolls l and 2 it enters between a presser bar or shoe and a continuously traveling endless carrier chain 2|.

The carrier chain 2| continues the forward movement of the blank and advances it past two trip members 22 and 23, thence across the bed plate 24 and under the marking wheel l1, and thence to the two continuously driven feed rolls 25 and 26 of the usual skiving mechanism. These feed rolls force the piece of leather past the knife blade 21, which skives and evens the blank down to a uniform thickness determined by the vertical adjustment of roll 25, and from the skiving mechanism the blank passes to the usual pair of continuously driven delivery rolls 26 and 29 by which the blank is discharged from the machine.

When the advance end of the blank engages and raises the trip 22, which is adjustable lengthwise of the machine, the grading action is automatically started and when the rear end of the blank clears the gate l9 and allows the latter to fall, the grading action is automatically terminated. When the advance end of the blank depresses the trip 23 the usual mechanism causes the slide 36 carrying the marking wheel II to be automatically reciprocated vertically whereby the marking wheel l'l impresses the appropriate grade mark on the top surface of the blank. The fall of trip 22 when the rear end of the blank passes out from under it effects the automatic feeding forward of another blank from the bottom of stack I'I into the machine.

The machine in its general construction and mode of operation may be the same as known machines of the prior art and no further detailed description thereof will be necessary to an understanding of the present invention. With the exception of certain details of the yoke bar 1, the transmission lever 8, and the mechanism presently to be described connecting those parts, the machine as thus fardescribed may be the same in construction and operation as heretofore.

As best shown in Figs. 2, 4, Sand 6, the cross bar 1 is connected with the transmission-lever 8 by two links 30 disposed at opposite sides of a vertical, longitudinal median plane coincident with the path of the blanks through the machine. At its upper end each link 30 is fixed to a horizontal spindle 3|, whose ends are mounted to slide in bearings provided in the cross bar I at opposite sides of a hole 32 formed through the cross bar, into which hole the upper end of link 30 extends. As shown in Figs. and 6 the two holes 32 for the two links 30 are made wide enough to permit the upper ends of the links 30 to be moved laterally toward and from the shaft 9 on which the transmission lever 8 is fulcrumed.

Each link 38 extends from its spindle 3| downwardly through a socket aperture 33 (Figs. 2, 6 and 7) formed in a slide 34 mounted in ways provided upon the under side of the transmission lever 8. Each slide 34 normally extends substantially horizontally opposite the axis of shaft 9 as best'shown in Fig. 6 and is adjustable endwise in its ways toward and from the shaft 9 and at right angles, or approximately so, when in normal position, to the up and down measuring movements of the measuring member 2.

Each link 30 is screw threaded at its lower end, as shown in Fig. 4, to receive a threaded abutment nut 35 and check nut 36 by wh ch a sleeve 31 is supported in position upon the link. The upper end of the sleeve 31 is made partly spherical and the lower part of the socket aperture 33 through which the link extends is of complemental partly spherical shape so that a ball andsocket joint is provided between each link and its slide 34.

The end of each slide 34 toward the shaft 9 is made with a yoke 39, each yoke 39 constituting a cam follower embracing a cam or eccentric 40, the two cams 48 being formed on the ends of "a sleeve 4| (Figs. 3 and 6). The sleeve 4! is mounted on shaft 9 and its middle part is provided with two circumferential slits 42 and a longitudinal slit 43 so that its middle section can be contracted upon the shaft 9 by means of a screw 44 whereby the sleeve 4| and cams 40, 40, may be fixed to the shaft 9 in any desired position of rotative adjustment. It will be seen that when screw 44 is loosened and the sleeve 4| is rotatively adjusted on shaft 9 the two slides 34 and links 30 will be adjusted toward or from the fulcrum shaft 9 and that such adjustment varies the leverage through which the links 30 act upon the transmission lever 8 andtherefore varies the motion amplifying effect of the lever 8 upon the ratchet shaft l2 and ultimately upon the grading mechanisms.

About midway between the two links 30, 30, the transmission lever 8 is provided with a hole threaded at the bottom to receive an adjustable abutment screw 45 (Fig. 4), whose inner end supports a flanged member 46 on which is seated the usual spring 41 carrying at its upper end a hardened metal springseat rocker member 48, whose top surface is peaked and bears against the under side of a hardened metal washer 49 seated upwardly against the cross bar I near the upper end of a cylindrical socket 50 formed upon the under side of the cross bar. Thus the cross bar 1 is-permitted to rock lengthwise on the peaked top of member 48 when the measuring roll 2 is rocked endwise by a transversely uneven piece of leather. The washer member 49 against which the rocker 48 bears is made at its opposite sides with upstanding lugs 5| which extend loosely through notches 52 provided at opposite sides of the washer .49 into a slot 53 formed in the cross bar 1 above the socket 50. The engagement of these lugs at the opposite ends of theslot 53 prevents angular displacement of the bearing member 48 and maintains the peak of the bearing edge of member 48 at substantially right angles to the length of the bar I. An advantage of the rocker member 48, as contrastedwith a spring abutment which does not permit rocking, is that the spring .41 is not buckled or distorted laterally when the yoke bar I is rocked longitudinally by a transversely uneven blank passing through the measuring rolls.

Another feature of novelty consists in two guide A cover plate 51 (Figs. 4 and 6) is secured on the top side of cross bar 1 by means of two screws 58 (Fig. 5) and serves as a closure for the tops of holes 32 and the top of slot 53. This closure plate has been removed in the view shown in Fig. 5.

The main body of the transmission lever 8 is preferably made of aluminum. The two slides 34 and the toothed segment ID are preferably made of hardened steel, as are also the glbs or slideways 59 which hold the slide 34 in position on the under side of the lever 8. Heretofore the lever 8 has been made of cast iron, the weight and inertia of which have tended to render the lever more or less sluggish in response to up and down movements of the measuring roll 2. By constructing this lever of aluminum the weight and inertia are greatly reduced and the lever is more quickly and readily responsive to the movement of the measuring roll.

The operation of the invention can best be described by reference to Fig. 6 of the drawings. Assume that the position of the parts shown in Fig. 6 be considered the normal or starting position, in which the measuring roll 2 occupies its highest position and is separated from the roll I the distance of the minimum. measurement for which the machine is designed, that is, it is raised to the position corresponding to the thinnest b ank on which the machine is intended to operate. It follows then that the measuring range of the roll 2 will extend from the said high position corresponding to the minimum measurement to its lowermost position correspond ng to v the thickestmeasurement between roll 2 and roll I. Thus, the measuring member 2 will not move farther upward but will move downward when it engages thicker blanks or encounters thicker spots or areas in a blank.

In the assumed normal position the transmission lever 8 and the slides-34 extend substantially horizontally from the shaft 8 and at substantially right angles to the direction of the up and down movement of the measuring member 2, and'therefore at substantially right angles to the links 30 which at all times remain parallel to themselves, that is, parallel to their endwise movement, and to the direction of. movement of the measuring member 2; and the cams or eccentrics 40 are shown as so adjusted that their major axes extend downwardly in a direction substantially perpendicular to lever 8 and slides 34.

If now a sole or other blank enters between the measuring rolls the measuring member 2 will move downwardly or upwardly in response to thicker or thinner measurements of the blank and will thereby swing the transmission lever 8 downwardly and upwardly, rotating the lever about the fulcrum shaft 9 and at the same time rotating the slides 34 about the,fixed' cams 40. As the lever 8 swings downwardly the cams, acting through yokes 38, shift the slides 34 endwise outwardly on lever 8 away from shaft 9, and if the lever 8 then moves upwardly the cams retract the slides 34 toward shaft 8, thereby shifting the position of the ball and socket connection 33 lengthwise of the lever and so varying the length of the lever arm or power arm by which the vertical measuring movement of roll 2 is applied to the lever 8 as the roll 2 moves up and down and as the angle of the lever changes.

The rise or contour of the cams 4|! and the proportions and relation of the parts are such that a vertical movement of the roll 2 in either direction will automatically shift the effective point of application of the measuring movement to the 5 lever toward and from the fulcrum of the lever, thereby to compensate for angular movements of the lever 8 and to impart to the lever an arcuate movement proportional to the vertical movement of the measuring member in all angular positions of the lever.

With the adjustment of the parts as above described, the machine operates to grade the blanks truly and correctly, that is, the grading mechanisms are operated so as to agree with the actual grade measurements as determined by the measuring member. It is a further feature of the invention that the parts may be so set as to cause the machine to overgrade or undergrade the blanks according to the adjustment and setting of the sleeve ll and eccentrics 48 on the fulcrum shaft 8. a

In the boot and shoe industry soles and other blanks are usually graded and classified according to the thicknesses of their thinnest areas in terms of irons and half irons. The ratchet device of the setting mechanism in grading machines of the kind under consideration is usually constructed to transmit the measurements to the grading mechanisms in units of half irons and in terms of even irons and half irons. Many blanks have a thickness measurement which falls between two such even units of half irons, for example, 5% irons, which may be classified either with the next upper or next lower even grade unit, that is, with 6 iron pieces or 5 iron pieces, as preferred. Cut sole dealers and other users of grading machines sometimes desire to classify soles having such intermediate measurements with the next higher even grade measurement, for example, to classify a sole having a 5% iron actual measurement with soles having a 6 iron grade measurement. To accomplish this the sleeve ll with its eccentrics I0 is rotatably adjusted, by operating screw 44, to move the slides 34 and links nearer to shaft 9 than would be their correct setting for true grading, with the result that the leverage acting on lever 8 will be shortened and the machine will overgrade the blanks, and a. blank actually measuring, for example, 5% irons, may be marked by the typewheel I! to indicate the next higher rade. namely 6 irons, and may be sorted accordingly by the operator.

When such adjustment is made and set to overgrade, say to the extent of 54; iron, the skiving mechanism in its normal state of adjustment will also correspondingly overgrade.

Conversely, if the sleeve II and eccentrics or cams are adjusted in the opposite direction to shift the slides 34 and links 30 away from the fulcrum shaft 9, thus lengthening the leverage, the machine will be caused to undergrade, for example, a 5% iron sole may be graded and classified as a 5 iron sole.

Sometimes, however, it is desired that the blanks be overgraded or undergraded by one of two or more grading mechanisms and that they be truly and correctly graded by another mechanism. For example, it may be desired to have the blanks overgraded by the marking mechanism for classification and sorting purposes, and at the same time to have the blanks truly and correctly graded by the skiving or evening mechanism. In such cases the skiving mechanism may be adjusted or set by means of the usual provision for such adjustment, so as to compensate for the overgrading or undergrading, as the case may be, and therefore to effect true grading at the skiving knife while the marking wheel I! will mark the blanks with the overgrade or undergrade numerals, as the case may be. When the ratchet device of the setting mechanism is constructed, as is usually the case, to perform grading in half iron units, overgrading will usually be practiced rather than undergrading in order to save stock.

The positions of the cam and cam follower might obviously be reversed and the cam be placed on the slide and the cam follower on the fulcrum shaft. Whatever the form of the camming device, it will be observed that the adjustment of the camming device just described, to shift the point of application of the power and alter the normal length of the power arm, is an adjustment made independently of the adjustments caused by the angular movements of the transmission lever, and persists in all angular positions of the lever.

I claim:

1. A grading machine comprising measuring mechanism including a movable measuring member for measuring the grade of successive blanks according to a thickness dimension, adjustable grading mechanism responsive tothe measuring mechanism, and setting mechanism controlled by the measuring mechanism for adjusting and setting the grading mechanism in response to the measuring movements of the measuring member, said setting mechanism including a transmission lever, means connecting the measuring member with the transmission lever by which means the lever is actuated in response to measuring movements of the measuring member, and mechanism responsive to angular movements of the lever adapted automatically to shift the effective point of application of the measuring movement to the lever toward and from the fulcrum of the lever, thereby varying the length of the power arm to compensate for angular movements of the lever.

2. A grading machine comprising measuring mechanism including a movable measuring memsaid setting mechanismincluding a transmission lever, a slide mounted to move lengthwise of the lever, means connecting the measuring member to the slide whereby the lever is actuated in response to the measuring movements of the measuring member, and means responsive to angular movements of the lever adapted to shift the slide on the lever, thereby varying the length of the power arm to compensate for angular movements of the lever.

3. A grading machine comprising measuring mechanism including a movable measuring member for measuring the grade of successive blanks according to a thickness dimension, adjustable grading mechanism responsive to the measuring mechanism, and setting mechanism-controlled by the measuring mechanism for adjusting and setting the grading mechanism in response to the measuring movements of the measuring member, said setting mechanism including a transmission lever, a slide mounted to move lengthwise of the lever, means connecting the measuring member to the slide whereby the lever is actuated in response to the measuring movements of the measuring member, and a camming device including a cam and cam follower responsive to angular movements of the lever adapted to shift the slide on the lever, thereby varying the length of the power arm to compensate for angular movements of the lever.

4. A grading machine comprising measuring mechanism including a movable measuring member for measuring the grade of successive blanks according to a thickness dimension, adjustable grading mechanism responsive to the measuring mechanism, and setting mechanism controlled by the measuring mechanism for adjusting and setting the grading mechanism in response to the measuring movements of the measuring member, said setting mechanism including a transmission lever, a slide mounted to move lengthwise of the lever, means connecting the measuring member to the slide whereby the lever is actuated in response to the measuring movements of the measuring member, and means responsive to angular movements of the lever adapted to shift the slide on the lever, thereby varying the length of the power arm to compensate for angular movements of the lever and means which connects the measuring member to the slide including an endwise movable link pivotally connected to the slide and means to main tain the link in parallelism with its endwise movement in all positions of the slide.

5. A grading machine comprising measuring mechanism including a movable measuringmember for measuring the grade of successive blanks according to a thickness dimension, adjustable grading mechanism responsive to the measurin mechanism, and setting mechanism controlled by the measuring mechanism for adjusting and setting the grading mechanism in response to the measuring movements of the measuring member, said setting mechanism including a transmission lever, a slide mounted to move lengthwise of the lever, means connecting the measuring member to the slide whereby the lever is actuated in response to the measuring movements of the measuring member, and a camming device including a cam and cam followerresponsive to angular movements of the lever adapted to shift the slide on the lever, thereby varying the 7 length of the power arm to compensate for angular movements 'of the lever, said means which connects the measuring member to the slide including an endwise movable link pivotally connected to the slide and means to maintain the link in parallelism with its endwise movement in all positions of the slide.

6. A grading machine comprising measuring mechanism including a movable measuring member for measuring the grade of successive blanks according to a thickness dimension, adjustable grading mechanism responsive to the measuring mechanism, and setting mechanism controlled by the measuring mechanism for adjusting and setting the grading mechanism in response to the measuring movements of the measuring member, said setting mechanism including a transmission lever, an endwise movable link through which the movements of the measuring member are transmitted to the transmission lever, mechanism responsive to angular movements of the transmission lever adapted automatically to shift the point of application of the motion of thelink to the lever toward and from the fulcrum of the lever, and means to maintain the link at all times in parallelism with its endwise movement.

'7. A grading machine comprising measuring mechanism including a vertically movable yoke supporting a measuring member for measuring the grade of successive blanks according to a thickness dimension, adjustable grading mechanism responsive to the measuring mechanism, and setting mechanism controlled by the measuring mechanism for adjusting and setting the grading mechanism in response to the measuring movements of the measuring member, said setting mechanism including a transmission lever, an endwise movable link through which the movements of the measuring member are transmitted to the transmission lever, a transverse spindle connection between one end of the link and the yoke adapted to-permit the link to shift laterally in parallelism with its endwise movement, and mechanism responsive to angular movements of the transmission lever adapted automatically to shift the pointof application of the motion of the link to the lever toward and from the fulcrum of the lever.

8. A grading machine comprising measuring mechanism including a vertically movable yoke supporting a measuring member for measuring the grade of successive blanks according to a thickness dimension, adjustable grading mechanism responsive to the measuring mechanism, and setting mechanism controlled by the measuring mechanism foradjusting and setting the grading mechanism in response to the measuring mitted to the transmission lever, a transverse spindle connection between one end of the link and the yoke adapted to permit the link to shift laterally in parallelism with its endwise movement, a slide mounted to move lengthwise of the transmission lever, pivotal connection between the link and the slide, and means responsive to angular movements of the lever adapted to shift the slide on the lever and thereby to shift the link laterally toward or from the fulcrum of the lever.

9. A grading machine comprising measuring mechanism including a vertically movable yoke supporting a measuring member for measuring the grade of successive blanks according to a thickness dimension, adjustable grading mechanism responsive to the measuring mechanism, and setting mechanism controlled by the measuring mechanism for adjusting and setting the grading mechanism in response to the measuring movements of the measuring member, said setting mechanism including a transmission lever,

an endwise movable link through which the movements of the measuring member are transmitted to the transmission lever, a transverse spindle connection between one end of the link and the yoke adapted to permit the link to shift laterally in parallelism with its endwise movement, a slide mounted to move lengthwise of the transmission lever, pivotal connection between the link and the slide, and a fixed cam at the fulcrum of the lever and a cam follower on the slide adapted to shift the slide on the lever and thereby to shift the link laterally toward and from the fulcrum of the lever in response to angular movements of the leverr 10. A grading machine comprising measuring mechanism including a movable measuring member for measuring the grade of successive blanks according to a thickness dimension, adjustable grading mechanism responsive to the measuring mechanism, and. setting mechanism controlled by the measuring mechanism for adjusting and setting the grading mechanism in response to the measuring movements of the measuring member, said setting mechanism including a transmission lever, means connecting the measuring member with the transmission lever by which means the lever is actuated in response to measuring movements of the measuring member, and mechanism responsive to angular movements of the lever adapted automatically to shift the effective point of application of the measuring movement to the lever toward and from the fulcrum of the lever, thereby varying the length of the power arm to compensate for angular movements of the lever, and means to adjust said point of application toward and from the fulcrum of the transmission lever independently of angular movements of the lever.

11. A grading machine comprising measuring mechanism including a movable measuring member for measuring the grade of successive blanks according to a thickness dimension, adjustable grading mechanism responsive to the measuring mechanism, and setting mechanism controlled by the measuring mechanism for adjusting and setting the grading mechanism in response to the measuring movements of the measuring member, said setting mechanism including a transmission lever, a slide mounted to move lengthwise of the lever, means connecting the measuring member to the slide whereby the lever is ac tuated in response to the measuring movements of the measuring member, and a camming device including a cam and cam follower responsive to angular movements of the lever adapted to shift the slide on the lever, thereby varying the length of the power arm to compensate for angular movements of the lever, and means to adjust the camming device to alter the length of the power arm independently of angular movements of the transmission lever.

12. A grading machine comprising measuring mechanism including a vertically movable yoke supporting a measuring member for measuring the grade of successive blanks according to a thickness dimension, adjustable grading mechanism responsive to the measuring mechanism, and setting mechanism controlled by the measuring mechanism for adjusting and setting the grading mechanism in response to the measuring movements of the measuring member, said setting mechanism including a transmission lever, an endwise movable link through which the movements of the measuring member are transmitted to the transmission lever, a transverse spindle connection between one end of the link and the yoke adapted to permit the link to shift laterally in parallelism with its endwise movement, a slide mounted to move lengthwise of the transmission lever, pivotal connection between the link and the slide, and a fixed cam at the fulcrum of the lever and a cam follower on the slide adapted to shift the slide on the lever and thereby to shift the link laterally toward and from the fulcrum of the lever in response to angular movements of the lever and means to adjust the cam to alter the distance from the link to the fulcrum independently of angular movements of the transmission lever.

13. In a grading machine of the character described, a yoke movable in vertical ways, a measuring roll carried by said yoke, a transmission lever below said yoke, a coil spring between said transmission lever and said yoke positioned midway of the length of the yoke, and a peaked bearing member at the upper end of the spring providing a bearing edge on which the yoke and measuring roll may rock or tilt lengthwise.

14. In a grading machine of the character described, a yoke movable in vertical ways, a measuring roll carried by said yoke, a transmission lever below said yoke, a coil spring between said transmission lever and said yoke positioned midway of the length of the yoke, a peaked hearing member at the upper end of the spring providing a bearing edge on which the yoke and measuring roll may rock or tilt lengthwise and means to prevent angular displacement of the peaked bearing member with relation to the yoke.

JAMES W. JOHNSTON. 

